Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Cheese of the week: Casa de Mendevil Velho

Name: Casa de Mendevil Velho

Brand: none listed

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Organic Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Portugal in the Vila Nova de Famalicão

Price in Iowa: $22.50/pound

Milk
: pasteurized cow

Processing
: 60 days of aging, rind rubbed with paprika

Texture
: firm

Color
: Straw yellow to caramel-colored

Rind
: Washed (rubbed with paprika and olive oil)

Aroma
: Spice, smoke and dairy

Taste:
Smoky, meaty, gamey, dairy, woody

Mouth feel
: Chewy and squeaky paste
 
Notes: This is a neat cheese.  The older it gets, the more the smoky spice of the paprika invades the paste.  This reduces the stronger dairy flavors of this farm cheese.  I must have gotten a particular well-aged cheese, because the entire paste was perfused with smoky, woody flavors.  If you can find this cheese, you have to try it.  It is delicious and unique.



1 comment:

  1. I am about to try this cheese as well!

    It was purchased at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati about 3 weeks ago.

    I thought it was a Spanish Cheese!

    ReplyDelete